Musings of a Muse

Stila’s Holiday Collection 2008 is turning out wonderfully well so far! I really love when Stila releases kits for the Holidays as they are always filled with great items and have a super sweet price tag attached!

One item in particular that grabbed my attention is the Stila Step Out and Shine Color Collection and Handbag Gift Set. The really awesome thing about Stila Step Out and Shine would be the fact that it includes the brand new, not yet debuted Stila Pomegranate Crush Cheek and Lip Stain! W00t! Score!

You know how much I loved Stila Cherry Crush? Take a trip down memory lane…CLICK!

Well, take Stila Cherry Crush and amp it up a little bit, deepen it, darken it, create a more intensely flushing shade and you’ll have Stila Pomegranate Crush!

Excited? I am but you can chalk that up to my great love of stains!

Stila Pomegranate Crush multitasks as a cheek and a lip stain and as per my earlier review of Stila Cherry Crush I have beef with using a product on my face that has already touched my lips! The Muse is anal about germs to say the least. So I highly recommend using the mini size that’s available with this gift set for your lips and later, when it debuts, grab yourself a full size for your cheeks!

Pomegranate Crush is a deeper shade of red than Cherry Crush which was much more pink. The color is ideal for Fall as it has a certain cast of maroon to it which is delightful!

This morning I was trying to locate my Stila Cherry Crush as I wanted to compare the two but sadly I couldn’t find! Swatches to follow later today!

The kit includes a slew of other goodies to create a quick, simple, flattering Holiday face! Aside from Stila Pomegranate Crush you’ll also receive the following items:

Stila Convertible Color in Orchid
Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize
Stila Multi-Effect Mascara Black
Stila Pomegranate Crush (as mentioned above)
A cute silver clutch with purple lining and a Stila emblem tag inside!

The Stila Convertible Color you’ll get is not available in the regular line up which makes the kit extra special that it included an item you normally can’t get. The color is a reddish maroon shade which adds just the right flush to cheeks and lips. A lighter hand will get you a blushing look while a heavier hand will create a deeper pop of color on cheeks! Convertible Color is appropriately named as it can easily convert from a cheek product to a lip product. How you use it is entirely up to you! I’ve reviewed Convertible Color prior to this and it’s one of favorite products from Stila as I adore products that multitask and allow for quick application!

Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize is a shimmery, light wear cream that can be used on lids, cheeks, or lips for an added touch of sparkling highlight! The is my first experience with the All Over Shimmer Luminize and I liked it! I tried it on my eyes as an all over color wash and it worked a treat at creating a rather natural highlight to my eyes.

This is my first experience with Stila Multi-Effect Mascara and it’s quite good. This is a nice volumizing mascara that gives a brilliant feather effect to lashes. It separates perfectly while creating a full look, plump look to lashes!

Before Mascara:

After Mascara:

For the look I created below I used everything in the kit and only added a bit of Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero and some gloss to bring the look together.

With Gloss:






Without Gloss

I started my look by applying the Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize on my lids and following up with two layers of Stila Multi-Effect Mascara. I followed up by applying Stila Convertible Color in Orchid to my cheeks and completed the look by applying Stila Pomegranate Crush to my lips!

The results: A simply, classic flushed look that was both simple and elegant.

I recommend the kit for cooler and warmer skin types as the kit is plenty pigmented to suit any tone. The kit is ideal for those who are super busy during the Holidays and want a quick, easy, and fun look on the go! It doesn’t take a ton of work or time to apply and the results are beautiful and natural!

I liked this one alot so I’m Muse Approving it for purchase!

I did notice an interesting fact about this kit. The one Stila is offering includes all of the goodies I listed however Sephora has an exclusive kit that also contains an eye quad which I thought was really nice as well!

Whichever Stila Step Out and Shine Color Collection suits you, rest assured your Muse loved this one!

It makes a killer gift but you know you want it for yourself anyway so why bother right? Hehe!

Love this?

Loving anything from the Stila Holiday 2008 Collection?

Any of the items on your wish list?

Tell the Muse!

Stila SPF 20 Shine Lip Color Review

Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder Review

Stila Convertible Color Review

Dontcha just love MAC Holiday?

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside!

I’m REALLY loving MAC Little Darlings for Holiday 2008!

Last year, I didn’t take advantage of any of the sets introduced since I had so many of the items already offered and I was being a bit reserved with my purchases so I’d have plenty of money to feed my Japanese Holiday addiction!

I felt rather badly later since I missed out on the lip sets but many months passed and I was happy to haul those at my local CCO!

This year, however, I am taking full advantage of MAC Little Darlings and I’ll be quite the glutton with the interesting pieces releasing with these cute coffrets!

Although the piggie collections didn’t catch my eye (since I already have a majority of these in full size already) I do so highly recommend nabbing one or all since they are a super value for those of you who are new to MAC pigments! Each set includes five small vials of pigment (believe me that vial will last ages) for $29.50 USD. One thing I absolutely love about these sets is how interesting it is to see what colors they pair together! I noticed that Pink Mauved and Quietly, which I have in full sizes, make a great combo! I’d have never pair the two of these until I seen them in the cool pigment set!

This year there is a set of five warm pigments and five cool pigments each of which set contains a bit of MAC glitter as well so you can sparkle and shimmer your way through the holidays!

MAC Warm Pigment Set
Gold Dust
Gold Mode
Melon
Gold Stroke
Reflects Antique Gold (Glitter)

MAC Cool Pigment Set
Frost
Quietly
Pinked Mauve
Teal
Reflects Blackened Red (Glitter)

Although I won’t indulge in the pigments, I definately have my eye on the gloss selections! Yummie! These come packaged in lots of five for $29.50 USD as well please keep in mind these are mini size glosses, not full size however still a great deal none the less!

MAC Coral Lipglass/Lustreglass Set
Pink Grapefruit (ZOMG! It’s the Muse’s very favorite lipglass! Now you can get it in the gift set! I’m so excited I might just spit)
Wondstruck
Budding
Ola Mango!
Underage

5 Neutral Lipglass/Lip Lustreglass Set
C-Thru
Mouthwatering
Languish
Love Nectar
Beaux

5 Pink Lipglass/Lip Lustreglass Set
Fleur Delight
Song and Dance
Flashmode
Little VI
Magnetique

And finally MAC is releasing a Soft Sparkle Gift Set which includes five mini soft sparkle pencils! I have two of the colors of the five in the gift set so I’ll definately be indulging in this one as I want three shades I don’t have (nor have I ever heard of!). As with all the sets this too is $29.50 USD.

MAC Soft Sparkle Pencil Gift Set
Peacocked
Mint and Olive
Chocolight
Fab Orchid
Black Funk

If you’re new to MAC you have to be excited about these little sets or if you’re an old school’er I’m sure you still feel the love for at least one or two of these kits!

The Muse has her eye on maybe one or two of the gloss sets and definately the Soft Sparkle pencils!

These will be available from MAC as of November 6th so keep your eyes peeled to your local MAC counter or the MAC website! I did swatches of the items I already have to help you decide if you absolutely have to have some of these!

How about you?

What are you hauling?

What are you leaving?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Red She Said

MAC Royal Assets Holiday Collection 2007 Review

MAC Formal Black Vs MAC Royal Assets

MAC Holiday 2007

I absolutely love staining my lips and cheeks! Stains work so well at giving a natural, flushed looks to both lips and cheeks.

I’m particularly partial to staining my lips prior to gloss as it gives that extra pop to gloss! One of my very favorite products for staining my lips was from Bourjois Paris and came in a pen applicator! I was so sad they stopped carrying these soon after their original release.

I’ve since been through a slew of stains but I’ve located a new favorite when I recently purchased Etude House 55 Kissful Tint Chou!

Etude House 55 Kissful Tint Chou is available in four shades which are a pink, red, orange, and sheer pink.

I tried the red shade only but I’ll be going back shortly for more colors as it’s a very good stain. The stain comes in a cute little tube with squeeze applicator. Dab a small amount on your finger and smooth on or apply directly from the tube. The formula is a silicon like texture that smooths on dry and leaves behind a pinch of color bringing blah lips to life with a beautiful flush of red! This is beautiful with or without gloss! I like the interesting texture as although it’s a gel formula it still feels rather dry when applied which makes it ideal for lips as it doesn’t apply in a streaky mess! The stain lasts for a good four hours or so before fading even when drinking or eating which is great as all I have to do is touch up my gloss and go as my lips are already nicely flushed with color!

As you can see below the color choice I made was quite red however I thought it looked quite natural on and not scary or kool-aid like in appearance. My lips are quite red already however this enhances the natural color of my lips!

I really liked this one and it’s one of Etude House’s better items. It also happens to be extremely cheap at $4 USD. I paid retail price as I have a friend in Korea who purchased it for me however I’ve seen it on E-bay ranging from $9.99-$12.99 USD and I think it’s well worth that price even though the tube is tiny!

Before

After

I’m Muse Approving this one! Definately loves it!

Do you stain your lips?

How about your cheeks?

Tell the Muse!

The Muse Appears in Etude House’s Newsletter

Etude House Plumping Lip Tint Review

Etude House Aqua Sherbet Skincare Review

Etude House Lash Designing Vitcara Mascara Review

A few weeks ago I had blogged about Josie Maran’s new cosmetic collection and today I’m bringing you my review.

The collection was actually appealing to my eye as I liked the pink packaging that everything came in and as you know the Muse is a sucker for cute packaging. Honestly, that’s what originally attracted me to the brand. After lusting after the sweet pink metallic compacts I decided I must try it for myself and see if the content is as good as the products! Today I’m bringing you a review of a few of the items in the collection and I think I’ll be pursuing the line further so perhaps you’ll see another review shortly as I was impressed with the few pieces I’ve tried so far!

First of all, good news for the green goddesses, Josie Maran cosmetics are very green friendly in both packaging and ingredients. The Muse is the first to admit she isn’t always conscious of what goes onto her face however I do respect that many of you are so you’ll be happy to know that a majority of Jose Maran Cosmetics are paraben-free, organic, and contain many natural, non toxic ingredients. The packaging is biodegradable and recyclable so the outside packaging is just as green friendly as what’s inside it! You can find further information about the packaging, ingredients and more by clicking here.

Today I’m doing a round up review today of products I used to do one complete look. The look I created was a very simple, natural yet elegant work friendly face. I think a majority of the line creates a softer look so if you’re yearning for a bolder look you may have to look elsewhere but if you love softer colors this should be exactly what you’re looking for.

The shadows I’ve seen from the line range from soft shimmery powders to easily blendable matte shades. Yes, I know, shocking, matte shades that are easy to blend! What’s the world coming too? But it’s quite true! In the look I created I used Josie Maran Eyeshadow in Maple which is a soft matte brown. The texture is beautifully silky and smooth and it blends like a dream. I’ve never run across mattes that are easy to work with but this applied smoothly and blended in wonderfully. The shadow glides right onto the eye like butter and leaves behind nicely pigmented color!

To compliment my nude eye look I gave my cheeks a hint of natural color with Josie Maran Cream Blush in Sunrise. Sunrise is a very soft pink and comes in a weightless formula that glides on smoothly, absorbs into the skin easily, and leaves behind a soft, natural pop of color. I wish I had picked this blush up for the Summer as it would have been an ideal lightweight cream blush for the warmer weather!

In consideration of how light and fresh my look was turning out I thought a darker color of lipstick would be ideal so I used Josie Maran Lipstick in Devious to spice things up a little bit! The formula is lightweight and moisturizing while manging to keep a good healthy pigmentation when applied. Devious is possibly the truest red I own in my collection and I quite love how it complimented my natural face and eye look!

Since I’m ALWAYS on a concealer binge, I, of course, needed to try out Josie Maran Concealer for myself. Although I’m a self confessed hater of stick concealers this was actually an interesting little concealer. It’s not smooth enough to be call moisturizing in all honestly however it still manages to have a certain thickness to it and staying power that I found interesting. It doesn’t crease into fine lines or cake for that matter and it’s a bit too drying for my already dry under eyes however this doesn’t prevent me from actually liking it. It works well at hiding light to medium dark circles and it manages to stay exactly where you put it. It just sticks really well to the under eye area and doesn’t move which I thought was a big plus and a redeeming quality considering it’s not as moisturizing as I like my concealers to be! The color I choose was the lightest shade which is entitled Butter. Butter was slightly disappointing as it contained a healthy amount of beige and being the lightest shade available it still looked too dark for me however it actually does do a good job of freshening up my eyes and making me look awake as any good concealer should!

Here’s my completed look using the products I just reviewed:

Swatches from Left to Right: Josie Maran Eye Shadow in Maple, Josie Maran Lipstick in Devious, Josie Maran Cream Blush in Sunrise, and Josie Maran Concealer in Butter

Overall, I liked the items I tried from Josie Maran cosmetics. I know I’ll be going back for more shadows for sure as I loved the buttery smooth formula and I think I’ll indulge in another cream blush for myself! I’m also very curious about the tinted moisturizer!

You can see more of the offerings from Josie Maran by visiting www.josiemarancosmetics.com

How about you?

Tried any of Josie Maran’s new line?

Want to?

Tell the Muse!

Further Information About Josie Maran Cosmetics

Tis the Season for bling or so they tell me (not really it’s only freaking October sheesh!)! Honestly, I don’t need a particular Holiday or Season to want shimmer, glitter, and sparkle in my daily makeup routine!

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liners have a huge cult following and it’s not difficult to firgure out why! These are some of thee most intense glitter liners I’ve had the pleasure of collecting (I have almost all the shades available!) and although a few companies have jumped on board the glitter liner express train none measure up to the beauty that is a Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liner (see the reviews for yourself on MUA!)

Supposing you wanted to indulge in three shades of Heavy Metal Liner right now…did you know it would set you back $54 USD and tax…ouchie but well worth it!

What if I told you, you could get all three for $32 bucks….! Sound good?

Well, you can!

Urban Decay has a brand new trio of available now for $32 USD which includes three full size Heavy Metal Liners in the following shades:

• Metalhead (Purple)
• Glam Rock (Silver)
• Stage Diva (Aqua)

Stage Diva is exclusive to the trio gift set and not available as a single liner purchase so that makes this set a bit more special!

The liners are intense glitter overload so if you love a bit of sparkle and glimmer for the Holiday Season these will do the job on the double! Not many companies make glitter liners and those who do (MAC, Too Faced, Etc..) haven’t quite perfected the great formula of Heavy Metal Liners. Other brands you have to keep going over the liner to build color and glitter up where as Heavy Metal liners offer a quick stroke and go method as they are heavily laced with nice chunks of glitter!

I simply adore topping a smokey eye look with some Glam Rock or I use these as lash sparkles by smoothing the small application brush onto my lashes after my mascara has tried down, this creates a sparkling lash look!

Whether you use these in a bold, outrageous way or for a more suble sparkle, they make any eye look pop and sizzle especially during Christmas parties, New Year, or in the Muse’s case who needs no excuse to bling herself out, anytime is a good time!

These are available now from Urban Decay Cosmetics do check ‘em out they’d make a fab gift for someone or yourself…..go on you know you want ‘em!

Want more Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liner color selections? CLICK!

While you’re visiting Urban Decay do check out the Urban Decay Book of Shadows, it’s thee must have palette of the Season in my opinion! I’ll be reviewing it soon for you!

Love Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liners?

Favorite Urban Decay makeup items?

Tell me!

Urban Decay Summer Collection 2008 Review

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil Review

Urban Decay Limited Edition Train Cases

Urban Decay Lipstick Review

Urban Decay Limited Edition Lipstick Cap

Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liner Gifts Sets Review

Why do I feel so strange reviewing a Fall Collection right now? Lord, I’ve been so overwhelmed with Holiday Collections that I forgot how much I was loving all the beautiful Fall Collections!

One in particular that totally made my season was Clarins Jazzy Colours! Sadly, Clarins has removed the original promo from their site for this fabulous collection but have no fear it’s still alive and kicking on the website with a bit of searching and across counters worldwide! After trying out Clarins Instant Smooth Foundation I knew I had to dig deeper into the mysterious of Clarins and discover their beautiful Fall Collection for myself!

I tried out a majority of the offerings from Clarins Jazzy Colours and before I even get involved in my full on review I must say that it’s Muse Approved for purchase and comes with my highest recommendation! Clarins Jazzy Colours truly kept the idea of Fall together for me while bringing together warm, bold shades.

My favorite pieces in the collection are the Clarins Colour Quartet for Eyes. Two new shades were introduced for Fall which are So Sublime and So Chic, the palettes respectively create a warmer look and a cooler look. This is my first time trying out a Clarins Colour Quartet Palette and I was quite surprised at how wonderfully pigmented the shadows were. I’m unsure what I was expecting but to say I was in awe over how butter soft, easily blendable, and wonderfully pigmented these were, is an understatement. It’s difficult to choose a favorite from the two but I did fall head over heels in lust with So Chic which is a combination of warm shades that include shimmering black, shimmering white, shimmering khaki green, and a matte plum. So Chic manages to create an intense evening or day time look by contrasting green with a dominant plum and a beautiful highlight of white. The look I created using So Chic was my dupe of the Clarins Jazzy Colours promo image and probably my favorite of the looks I created using the palettes so far.

To start your look you can highlight your highbrow with the shimmering white, follow up by shading your lid and crease with the khaki green, proceed to blend the plum shade into the outer v and move it gently upwards to outline the crease, and finally, complete your look by lining the outer and lower lash line with the shimmering black!

Clarins Colour Quartet in So Sublime is made up of much more cooler tones when compared with So Chic. The palette contains two shades of light and dark contrasting pinks, a shimmering blue liner shade, and a shimmering gray.

For my look with So Sublime I simply used the darker pink on my crease and blended the lighter pink into my lid, I highlighted my brow bone using the gray, and completed the look with a pop of the blue on my lower lash line. I think the blue drowned out my eyes a tiny little bit so my next run with the palette I’ll be lining my upper eye with the blue instead and seeing how that looks!

Each palette is $40 USD and truly it’s not much to pay as the palettes are extremely beautiful pieces. The palettes come housed in a velvet cloth bag so you can store them safely without scratching the posh mirrored compact. The palettes are quite heavy and the quality is seen not only in the contents but in the packaging itself! I truly loved these and can definately see myself returning for more of the color options available.

Clarins Joli Rouge lipstick in Plum completed my look with the Clarins Colour Quartet in So Chic. This is an intense Plum shade with a rich burgundy finish that looks simply stunning with a bold smoky eye look. Although I could gush all day about the shade I have to say that Clarins Joli Rouge is possibly one of the better lipsticks I’ve come across in my travels through the cosmetic universe. Although I fell deeply in love with Urban Decay’s new Lipsticks I have to say that Clarins Joli Rouge has them topped and trumped in spades! The formula is so moisturizing, so vibrant, so glossy, so pigmented! Truly a quality lipstick if ever I did see one! At $23 USD the price is not much difference from Urban Decay’s new lipsticks either! Plum is quite a sophisticated look for me and I know I’ll be reaching for it again and again to top warmer looks I’ll be doing as the Fall season progresses!

And finally a new shade of Clarins Wonder Length Mascara was released which goes wonderfully well, again, with the Clarins Colour Quartet in So Chic! Wonder Plum completes the plum color perfectly in the So Chic palette with the perfect intense shade of plum colored lashes you’ll ever be privy too! The formula is the mascara is quite good and lengthens lashes while separating, curling, and fattening them up beautifully. The application is a straight, skinny brush which easily captured all your lashes in one pull and does a excellent job of getting hard to reach lower lashes!

All in all creating looks with Clarins Jazzy Colour Collection for Fall has been a great experience. The quality of each item was outstanding and I was very pleased with the completed results! I definately recommend picking up the lipstick and So Chic palette as those are my favorite out of the items I tested out!

As mentioned early this is Muse Approved for purchase! I loved it and I’m sure I’ll be sporting So Chic quite a few times this Fall and of course with my Joli Rouge lipstick I’m hopeful I’ll be the height of elegance and sophistication…..what? A girl can dream!

Check out more of the Clarins Makeup Collection, Jazzy Colours, and great skincare by visiting there website!

Loving this collection?

Love Clarins?

Have you tried Joli Rouge (What are you waiting for! Get some now!)?

Tell the Muse!

Check out some other Fall reviews you might have missed!

Jill Stuart Illuminance Review

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Collection Review

Vincent Longo Diamante Quad in Aquila Review

Jillian Dempsey for Avon Retro Charm Review

Smashbox Wicked Lovely Collection Review

MAC Overrich Review with Swatches

Well…you either loved Manish Arora for MAC or you hated it, there wasn’t any in between that I’ve seen around the Internet this week!

I happen to fall into the absolutely in love, thrilled to pieces, simply adore this collection category!

This is the type of collection that sits up and screams my name with it’s bold shades of shadow, outrageous colors of blush, and vibrant glosses and lipsticks! Love, love, love!

If you hate it, I truly can’t begin to understand why but I absolutely love it and slap a big Muse Approval on it!

The packaging is truly beautiful on this collection with it’s Indian inspired swirls, hearts, and sparkle. It has a certain Hindi feel to it that’s masked in the colors and design! MAC went with a subtle neon orange for the blush compacts, a gold and pink for the palette with jewel encrusted hearts on the top, a darker hue of orange for the lipstick tubes, and yellow for the lipglasses. The designs are all etched and printed on without any stickers to peel off a la Fafi! Thank god for that! I simply love the beautiful golden swirls topped with multi-colored hearts! I’m particularly partial to the compact with it’s little jeweled hearts. It’s difficult to pick what my favorite items are in this collection as everything is beyond beautiful.

I highly recommend this collection for darker skin tones as the shades are so intense and vibrant they are sure to flatter a deeper tone!

The blushes in the collection are Pink Swoon and Devil. Out of the two Devil is absolutely, positively my favorite! Devil is a fiery, bold orange that gives me cheeks a nice pop of peachy color that can be worn sheer or built up for a deeper finish. Although some may be scared of such a vibrant orange shade, the Muse is no stranger to such a color. Devil is comparable to other pieces in my collection such as NARS Blush in Taos and Shu Uemura Blush in P Orange 58D (I’m working with Shu to get those crazy numbers and letters turned into names! Sheesh!).

NARS, MAC, and Shu Blushes

Pink Swoon was surprisingly low key after the shock of Devil! I haven’t yet tried it but I’m preparing myself to be disappointed as it’s a very true pink that swatched quite sheer however after a few strokes I did manage to build the color up so I’m keeping hope alive that it’ll be equally easy to get the desired intensity on my cheeks!

When presented with the lipsticks from Manish Arora of course the first one to catch my eye was Kiss Manish! Ahhhhhhhhh it’s perfection! The second I seen it I could only think one thing, Pink Grapefruit Lipglass! This was the ideal color to pair up with my very favorite lipglass color! Kiss Manish is a beautifully deep coral shade with touches of peach and orange. If you’re looking for an interesting alternative you might want to try Avon Lipstick in Rose Charm as I thought the finish was a good dupe although Kiss Manish is a bit deeper.

Avon Rose Charm vs MAC Kiss Manish

The second lipstick released, Girl About Town, is a deep fuchsia which is quite wearable when compared to other fuchsias I’ve run across from MAC. I actually like the way this looks on and when paired with Pink Manish Lipglass you get a rather nice look!

It’s probably obvious that out of the two MAC Lipglasses released with Manish Arora, Shine Manish is my favorite. This is a marriage most wonderful when paired up with MAC Lipstick in Kiss Manish! The color is slightly lighter than kiss Manish but manages to keep that intense fiery orange color that made Kiss Manish such a hit for me!

MAC Lipglass in Pink Manish is a true pink that’s not quite fuchsia in my opinion. It has a small dose of sheer shimmer and pairs up beautiful well with Girl About Town!

And finally the Pièce de Résistance, the MAC Manish Arora Palette! This shouldn’t be appealing to me as it contains quite a few matte shades however I forgive MAC for the matte since they also included some rather nice shimmery shades as well! I likely have almost all these shades already but I’m a sucker for beautiful compacts!

Shades included are:

• Nylon (Why is Nylon looking more beautiful in this palette?)
• Going Bananas (Released with C-Shock)
• Bitter
• Playful
• Electric Eel
• Deep Truth

The colors are much more vibrant than these swatches you see! I was just being overprotective with my palette and not pressing hard!

Overall, the collection was a winner for me! I’m particularly pleased with MAC Lipstick in Kiss Manish, MAC Blush in Devil, MAC Lipglass in Shine Manish, and the beautiful palette!

Call me a fan girl, call me a groupie, but I personally think MAC did a nice job with this collection and it’s Muse Approved for purchase!

Please keep in mind this may be sold out online but as I mentioned in a prior post it officially sells at MAC North Robertson and MAC Soho tomorrow morning as of 11AM so call early to reserve! I got a bit busy today and didn’t get a chance to call about shipping so I’ll try to do so tomorrow and let you know!

I don’t yet have face of the day looks using any of this but will group some together shortly so you can see the collection at work!

The Muse is a happy camper now that she has Manish Arora in her possession!

Love it?

Hauled any of it for yourself?

What did you get?

Skipping?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Colour Forms Review and Swatches

MAC Neo Sci-Fi Review

MAC DressCamp Review

MAC Heatherette Review

I went to Atlantic City this weekend so of course I had to hit up the Lancome Outlet to see what they had in stock.

They had a ton of items however I was actually quite relieved that it wasn’t anything I absolutely needed (I’ve been known to get crazy at the Lancome Outlet) however one item did catch my eye which was Lancome Absolue Makeup and for the ridiculous price of $10 USD (this normally retails for $57 USD) I firgured I might as well try it.

Honestly, I’m not sure what I was thinking when I purchased it because aside from being great for dry skin it’s really not what I’d typical look for in a foundation. It’s meant for dry/mature skin…ummm dry yes but I’m not quite that mature yet..at least I don’t think I am. It’s pretty heavy and super pigmented for covering up everything and anything….again not what I’d normally reach for as I like a lighter foundation for my face.

Turns out that it works amazingly well and is actually well worth it’s originally $57 USD price tag. I can see myself purchasing another if I ever actually use all of this one as the jar is freaking huge and should last me till the apocalypse (Dontcha just love Misha?).

I do not recommend this for oily skin this is strictly for dry skin in my humble opinion. It’s extremely heavy foundation and a little tiny bit goes a very, very, very long wear. At the moment I can’t make proper use of it but as soon as the colder weather settles in my skin will be falling to it’s knees and thanking the Lancome gods for such a perfectly, moisturizing foundation that offers beautiful, airbrushed coverage and helps keep my dry skin dewy and moist!

I originally purchased this since I became slightly obsessed with foundations in a jar after falling in love with Clarins Instant Smooth Foundation and CoverGirl TRUblend Whipped Foundation plus the price couldn’t be beat at $10 bucks! I know, I know, pot foundations breed bacteria and germs but this does come with a handy little scoop so my fingers are never actually touching the foundation! And get this….the scoop comes with this handy little plastic pocket to store it in….sue me, I get excited about the little things! I was reading My Makeup Reviews (best site evers) a few days ago and Jojoba was saying how she hated the fact she had no where to store the little scoop from Clarins Instant Smooth Foundation so here in lays a little bit of a solution! A little plastic sleeve for my scoop! Yay!

A little bit more information about the formula…..

As I mentioned the formula is extra moisturizing and extremely pigmented. You can do light coverage but it does take a bit of work to figure out exactly how much you’ll need for a thinner layer of coverage as it always seems I’m just using too much! But after working with the product for a bit I finally got it down to the perfect amount for a nice, sheer layer of coverage that lightens my complextion, erases dullness, and leaves my skin looking airbrushed and perfect.

I was particularly thrilled with how great it worked under my eyes. It’s thick yes but it works well at concealing dark circles and just general under eye woes without drying the area out so it takes on the task of foundation and concealer in one product.

There are 12 color selections available and from looking at the site it appears they have pretty much all tones covered but I do find that when I am selecting color ranges from Lancome for foundation and concealers it’s best to head to your local counter to purchase so you can swatch it out and see what is best suited to your skin tone.

The wear is particularly good and you can easily get eight hours of wear out of this with proper prepping. I started out my day with it as of 5 am and it lasted till around 3 pm before it started fading and needing touch up. Not bad in my opinion plus it didn’t turn ashy on me as foundations sometimes have been known to do after long wear on my face.

I recommend this for the following skin:

• Those who seek an extra moisturizing foundation especially if your skin is dry in the Winter.
• Fantastic foundation for those who have the beginings or full effect of lines on their face as this will erase fine lines and create a smoother, fresher appearance.
• Those who seek extra coverage
• Those who want a foundation that can multitask as a concealer.

This one I’m approving for purchase. I’d indulge in $57 USD for it considering how much coverage and moisture if offers plus it’s a very large that will last over a year. Taking all the positives into consideration with absolutely zero negatives I’d say it’s well worth checking out for yourself. Pricey yes, but does exactly what it promises and more!

Likey!

Check out more of the color selections and further information at Lancome.

Tried this?

Love it?

What are your favorite foundations?

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Hey guys!

Sorry for being so invisible today but it’s been a rather busy Monday for your Muse! Tis 7pm and I’m quite happy to be home finally. I’m looking forward to a hot Lush bath, my weekly fix of Gossip Girl (the Muse has a soft spot for Lonely Boy!), and getting this review of Urban Decay’s hot new Holiday 24/7 Eye Pencils out to you!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-Eye Pencils are now available in a 5 piece set in two color variations! Sweet right?

Each set contains five mini Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils for $29 USD which works out to about $5.80 USD per a pencil. The pencils are a tad bit skinnier and shorter than the regular size version but at $5.80 USD each compared to $16 USD for one shade, the Muse says, it’s a steal and a deal! Granted I love the large version and own several colors but I really like the idea of shelling out $13 USD more and getting five shades instead of one! Variety is the spice of life after all!

Travel Size versus Regular Size

The two sets available are Velvet Rope and VIP together they makeup nearly 75% of the colors offered in the Urban Decay 24/7 line. The line consists of a total of 15 shades so if you purchase the two sets you’ll end up with 10 of the 15 shades available! A nice little stash of color…great right? The Muse takes all these things into consideration for you!

Now these are postively my favorite liners out of all the liners I own. They have a gorgeous formula that’s super soft, super creamy, and beautifully blendable. Oh did I mention waterproof? No raccoon eyes here!

Out of the two sets VIP is my favorite considering it has the more vibrant shades of the two sets. VIP contains all of the following shades:

• Lucky-Metallic Cooper
• Electric-Aqua
• Zero-Black
• Covet-Peacock Green
• Lust-Royal Purple

Velvet Rope contains more neutral shades that aren’t as bold as VIP but that doesn’t take away from the colors in this set being just as nice. Velvet Rope contains all of the following shades:

• Zero-Black
• Yeyo-Pure White (Oh my god awesome Twiggy shade! So Mod!)
• 1999-Plum with specks of Gold
• Bourbon-Brown with specks of Gold
• Stash-Olive Green

The sets are ideal as gifts but spoiling yourself with ‘em can’t hurt either! Even though it’s 76 degrees today in New York my head is all about awesome Holiday offerings from Urban Decay!

Do check out the rest of the Urban Decay Holiday Collection by visiting their website!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-Eye Pencil Sets in VIP and Velvet Rope are definately Muse Approved for purchase!

Love ‘em!

Are these on your Holiday wish list?

Got some already?

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Urban Decay’s Hot New Lipsticks: Reviewed!

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil Review

Urban Decay Summer Collection 2008 Review

Urban Decay Holiday Collection 2007

Urban Decay Deslick Mattifying Powder Review

Urban Decay Limited Edition Lipstick Cap

As my blog grows, my taste in cosmetics grows as well and I realized something very important this Fall. I realized trying something new works out for the best in the long run.

Nudes, neutrals, and natural shades are outside my norm but I’ve been testing out so many lately that I’ve grown to love a few. Although I was slightly scared of the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette I knew I needed to try it out for myself.

Guess what?

I ended up loving i!

Go figure right?

The palette retails for $50 USD and includes a total of seven shades that range from soft shimmers to metallics and even mattes. The palette includes a dual ended applicator as well, one side of which is a shadow brush and the other side a flat liner brush.

Since I’m self employed if I want to head in to my office wearing blue eye shadow I do just that and my clients aren’t too surprised by my wacky choice in colors however if you’re in a working environment where color matters the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes palette offers the ability to create various soft, sophisticated looks that are actually very, very flattering! I know it’s strange to be surprised at how well nudes work but I can’t help but be slightly shocked at how beautiful they look on my eye.

I think the reason I loved the palette so much is due to the array of softer, shimmering shades. I’m big on shimmer so give me a palette full of shimmery shades I’ll end up loving it by default. Although the shadows contain shimmer it’s nothing to be too scared of since the colors are very soft and the finish is a very sheer layer of shimmer that lightens up a nude, natural eye look.

You get a total of 7 shadows with the palette and at $50 USD for the entire palette you’re paying around $7 USD per a shadow. When you break the cost down I think it’s a considerably good deal considering each regular size Bobbi Brown Metallic Shadows are $20 USD each and you’re getting 7 smaller sizes for a nice deal! Considering the palette has such an array of shades you can easily create a number of looks with one palette which makes this a very nice deal.

The shades included in the palette are:
Nude Beach (Metallic Shadow)
Nude Mist (Shimmering Shadow)
Naked Eye (Matte Shadow)
Nude Glow (Metallic Shadow)
Mica Shimmer (Matte Shadow)
Nude Spice (Metallic Shadow)
Espresso (Matte Shadow)

I’m somewhat scared of mattes so I was happy many of the finishes in the palette were of a shimmer base however I was delighted to discover that when I did venture into using the Mattes they blended extremely well and worked wonderful as a base for adding a bit of the shimmery shadows on top. The only shade I had a bit of a problem working with was Espresso which is a chocolate like brown shade with a matte finish. However, as per the instructions on the box I ended up using this as a liner and it worked a treat!

I created three looks for you using the palette but could have gotten many more but ado the Muse only has one face so she had to stop at three as she has other collections to get to!

The look below I’m using Espresso as a liner. I thought this came out interesting as using it as a liner was far easier than using it as a shadow.

With the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Collection a few other items were released which included a few new shades of Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color. I’ve been pairing up the shade Pink Sequin with all my nude looks this week and I must say it’s an absolutely awesome shade and a great formula. This is my first experience with Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color and I’m quite impressed. Pink Sequin has a range of shades in it including gold, pink, and a bit of peach! The shade on lips is nude however it gives lips just a sparkle of color that’s very flattering. I thought the best way to use it was over a little bit of peach lip stain. My first set of photos I have peach stain on under it and my second set of photos I have it on over bare lips. The texture of the product is a creamy balm that’s very soothing on the lips. It has a slight lemony taste which is quite pleasant.

All in all I really liked both trying out both the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette and Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color. I’ll be indulging in further colors of the Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color and without a doubt I’ll definately take advantage of further palettes that come out as I’ve really had a soft spot for Bobbi’s line lately!

If you’re looking for a softer, elegant looking palette that’s extremely work friendly I highly recommend nabbing this new palette! It can easily create a slew of looks plus work well into the evening due to the shimmer finish on a majority of the colors.

The Muse recommends this for purchase! Beautiful palette and a gorgeous collection overall!

Check out more of the Shimmering Nudes Collection including other releases I didn’t review at Bobbi Brown.

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Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry Collection Review

Bobbi Brown Mauve Collection Review

Bobbi Brown Metallics Collection Review